Elevator



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ELBVATOR. No. 248.562. Patented Oct. 18,1881.l

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No. 248,562. Patented Oct. 18,1881.

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ELEVA'IOR.

Patented 00h18, 1881.

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.NORTON P. OTIS AND RUDOLPH C. SCHMIDT, OF YONKERS, NEW YORK.

ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 248,562, dated October 18, 1881.

Application filed April 8, 1881. (Model.)

To all whomv it muy concern Be it known that we, NORTON P. Oris and It. C. SCHMIDT, both of Yonkers, in the county of Westchester and State ot' New York, have --invented certain Improvements in Hydraulic Elevators, of which the following is a specilication.

The objects of our invention are to prevent the accidents liable to resultt'roni the too-rapid movements of the cage of an elevator, either from the derangement or the breaking otl the hoisting mechanism, to control the movements of the cage more ei'ectually than by varying the motive power, as usual, and to lock the cage securely in position when not in motion; and these objects we e'ect by appliances whereby any increased speed of the cage is made the medium of applying brakes in such manner as to arrest its further movement, and whereby the operator may apply the brakes both to the car and to the suspensories.

In the drawings, Figures l and 2 are diagrams illustrating our invention; Fig. 3, a detached view in section. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of the elevator and appliances connected therewith.D

The construction ofthe cage or platform, the character ot' the elevating mechanism, and the motor employed constitute no necessary part of our invention.

In the drawings is illustrated a cage, Z, connected by flexible suspensories z2 with the piston of a cylinder, F, the suspending-rope e2 passing round a sheave, w, and a valve, V, in a casing, V', serving to regulate the admission and discharge of water to and from the cylinder F. The valve is moved vertically by the rotation of a shaft, u, carrying two grooved Wheels, u' u2, the former receiving the continuous hand-rope a3, which passes through the cageZ. Anyothersuitable appliance may,how-

ever, be employed for operating the valve V from the cage. The cage slides between or opposite to vertical bars l', (which may be guidereceiving between their longest ends, which bars,) and carries brake-clamps Y, the jaws t t of each clamp turning on a vertical bolt, s, and

wedge s isrconnected by a link or rod, s2, to a lever, 83,' which, when turned in the direction of the arrow, forces the wedges outward and between the jaws, and turns the latter so as to gripe the bar, thereby arresting or retarding the movement of the cage.

The turning of the lever s3 may be effected Vdirectly by a lever arranged within the cage or otherwise. We prefer, however, to apply steam, air, water, or other power, by directing the motor-duid into a cylinder, q, on the car, and against a plunger, q', connected by a link or rod to the lever s3. The motor-iiuid passes into the cylinder q through a pipe, g3, flexible for part of its length, and which is provided with a valve, B, and with appliances whereby the valve may be turned from the cage directly or indirectly, or both. For instance, the valvearm p may be connected to a rope, p', passing to the pulley a2, so that the pressure-Huid will ce admitted to the cylinder q, and the clampbrakes applied when the shaft u is turned to move the valve V, and cut otl' the How of water or other liuid to or from the operating-cylinder. (See Fig. 2.)

Vhile the application of brakes to the bars r may arrest or retard the movement ot the car, it will not prevent the traveling of the suspension-rope over the sheave to. We therefore use a brakelever, G, carrying a shoe, o, which bears upon the rope z2 when the brake is down, and we propose to apply this brake by hand or by the pressure of a motor-fluid, as with the brakes Y. Thus the end of the brake-lever G may be connected directly (or through the medium of another lever, G', and rod or cord u') to a piston, (or to a lever, G2, attached to the piston-rod,) D', ot' a cylinder, D, into which'the motor-fluid is admitted from a branch, e, ot' the pipe g3 by the turning of the valve B, so that all the brakes are'applied simultaneously on the reversing and closing of the main valve V.

To preventtlle rotation of the sheave ordrurn w, a strap, w', fixed to the frame at one end and passing below the sheave, is connected at the other end to the lever G', so as to be drawn tightly against the periphery of the sheave when the lever G' ismoved to apply the brake G to the rope z2.

The pressure-fluid, instead ot' acting upon the piston of a second cylinder,'q, may eii'ect the application of the brakes Y by meansoi` IOO the piston D. Thus the cord n may be conducted from the lever G' (or G2) roundpulleys and downward past the cage to a fixed eye, n2.

Upon the cage is arranged a swinging fram H, carrying two pulleys, m m, round and between which the cord a is extended, as shown, and an arm, m', of the frame H is connected by a rod, m2, to a bell-crank, m3, the other arm of which is connected by a rod, m4, to the lever s3. (See Fig. 3.) When the lever Gz'is de pressed at its outer end by the entrance ot' the pressure-iluid into the cylinder D it draws taut the cord u, thereby swinging the frame H in the direction of its arrow and the lever s3 in the direction of its arrow, forcing the wedges between the jaws t t', and causing the latter to gripe the bars. l

By combining the swinging frame H and its appliances with the clamps and cylinder q and its appliances, the clamp-brakes may be applied by both means, so that if one should be out of order the other will act.

When the valve V is shifted to start the cage in either direction the cord p will be wound upon the drum u2 and the valve B will be set to the position shown in Fig. 1, when the fluid can escape from the cylinders q D, through the pipes g3 e, to a pipe, h, which may be a discharge-pipe or may form part of an. automatic apparatus, as described hereinafter.

As above described, the motor-fluid for operating the brakes is admitted by the operation of the hand-rope n3; but we propose to employ means whereby the flow of the fluid may be further regulated by the movement of the cage, so as to apply the brakes, when otherwise released, should the speed be in excess of that which is safe and desirable.

Various appliances may be used for effecting this resultfor instance, a governor, I, operated by a traveling cord, l, connected to the carriage, may be the means of turning the cock B so as to permit the motor-Huid to pass to and from the cylinder D. Thus a lever, J, connected to the sliding sleeve ofthe governor may be connected to the arm p of the valve B, which will thus be set according to the speed of the governor. We prefer to use a second valve, A, through the casing of which the duid must pass from the inlet-pipe d to the pipe g f, communicating with the casing of the valve B. The casing of the valve A has an outletpipe, j, and the aforesaid pipe h connects the casin gs of both valves A B, as shown. When the cage travels at a normal rate the valve A is in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the operations'of stopping and starting are el'ected as before described. When the cage is moving in either direction any undue increase of speed will cause the governor to set the valve A to the position shown inl Fig. 1, the valve B being also in the position shown, when the motor-fluid will pass through the pipes h, g3, and e into the cylinders D q, and will apply all the brakes instantaneously with full pressure.

The only function of the governor is to preA vent any unsafe speed. It therefore only commences to act when the brakes are released, or when the valve B connects the brake-cyl inder D with the exhaust. The action of the automatic brake is usually sudden, and the full pressure of the motor-fluid will be applied to the brakes regardless of the extent of such pressure. To avoid this result, when thebrakes are applied by the operator, we interpose a regulating device between the cock B and the inlet-pipe, which limits the pressure,'so that it cannot exceed a predetermined amount.

As shown, the regulating device is a reducing-valve device, consisting of a cylinder, E, containingtwo pistonsJ'i, on olie rod, a spring, e2, being interposed between the upper piston and a lever, K, on which is a weight, L, said lever being connected by a rope, h, with the rope p', a circulating branch pipe, k', communicating with the ends of the cylinder E and with the pipe f, leading to the casing of the valve B. rlhe piston t" liever rises higher than to shut the inlet g, and has a constant tendency to do this, owing to the Huid-pressure upon the piston t', (the lower piston being balanced 5) but the load L is so set that the pistons cannot rise until a determined pressure is exceeded. Thus if the valve is loaded at fifty pounds per inch the parts will remain in the position shown in Fig. 2 until there is an excess ot' pressure, when the pistons will rise, closing the inlet g, and preventing any greater pressure upon the brakes, Fig. 1.

The lever K is so connected to the rope p that the inlet g will be closed until the handrope is pulled to close the valve V, when the lever K will be lowered and the inlet g uncov ered gradually, preventing any sudden appli cation of its brakes. When the pressure is reduced or the val ve A is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the pistons t' i and lever K can descend, and when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2 the. pistons and lever K may rise without turning the valve B, owing to the flexible connection h3. By these means the pressure of the bra-kes is under the complete control of the operator, who can put on the pressure of all the brakes simultaneously with the shifting of the valve V, and can instantly remove the brake-pressure as the car starts in either direction, while any excess of speed in either direction is at once counteracted automatically from the action of the governor, and the application of excessive pressure is prevented.

We do not limit ourselves to the precise devices employed, nor to the application of the brakes at any point, as, according to the oonstruction of the machine, they may be applied wherever most etfective. For instance, they may be applied to the piston-rods or to the guides when a movable sheave is run on guides.

We are aware that safety-catches have been arranged upon an elevator-car to be operated by hydraulic pressure in case of accident; but

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our invention is distinguished from this by the fact that we use a brake operative at all times, and not merely a self-acting detent, taking effect only when the machinery is broken.

We claim- 1. The combination, with the main operatingvalve of an elevator, and with braking appliances constructedto be operated byuid-pressure, of devices whereby said appliances are operated to apply and remove the brakes as the main valve is adjusted, substantially as set forth.

2. An elevator provided with a main valve, brakes constructed to operate on the adjustment of said valve, and a governor driven from the movement of the elevating appliances, and devices whereby the brakes are applied from the action of the governor whenl the speed of the cage is excessive, substantially as set forth.

3. An elevator provided with brakes upon the cage, and with other brakes arranged to bear upon a moving part of the elevating apparatus,in combination with appliances whereby said brakes are applied by the operator and the main valve is closed, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the power-brakes of an elevator, and with appliances for operating them from the cage, of a governor and devices whereby a motive fluid is brought into action on said brakes when the speed of the cage is unduly increased, substantially as set forth.

5. Thecombination of theliquid-power brakes and a regulator constructed and arranged to limit the liquid-pressure upon the brakes, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of brakes carried by a cage and a cylinder upon a cage, a stationary cylinder, and appliances whereby the pressure ot'tluid in each cylinder is made the means of applying the brakes, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with braking appliances carried by the car, of flexible tubes serving to conduct the motor-fluid to the brakes.

8. The combination of the sheave w, ropebrake, and sheave-brake, connected to operate substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the fluid-brakes upon .the cage, and with a device for applying brakes to the suspensories Vby duid-pressure, of the frame H, connected to the car-brake lever and rope a', connected to the suspensorybrake devices, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with the cage, of brakes adapted to act on the guides, a fluid-cylinder and-piston connected to the brakes, operatingrope as, and appliances whereby the passage of uid to the cylinder is controlled by the movement of said rope.

11. The combination of the cage,iluidbrakes carried thereby, suspensory brakes, cylinder D, through which the motor-duid passes to the car-brakes, piston D', `connected to the suspensory brakes, and valve B, and appliances whereby the same is set to admit the iiuid when the main valve is closed, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination, with the valve B, of a governor and devices for operating it from the cage to admit the motor-fluid to the brake devices when the speed is too great, as specified.

13. The combination, with the valve B, of the valve A, its inlets and outlets, pipe h, and governor, substantially as set forth. 14. rlhe combination of the valves B and A and the equalizing device, consisting of the cylinder E and its pistons exibly connected to the devices for operating the valve B, and pipesfg k, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination ot' the main-valve pulley u2 on the valve-operating shaft, and rope p', connected to the brake devices and to the pulley u2, so as to be tightened when the main valve is raised or lowered, as set forth.

1n testimony whereofl we havevsigned our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NORTON P. OTIS. RUDOLPH O. SCHMIDT.

Witnesses:

JonN MoMAHoN, FRANK VARIAN. 

